Husband mourns wife killed in crash on U.S. Route 20

PITTSFIELD TWP. — The husband of the woman killed in a five-vehicle crash Tuesday said that she did not have any medical problems that he knew of that could have accounted for her swerving into the path of a tractor-trailer truck.

Bernard Linden said he is devastated by the loss of his wife of 34 1⁄2 years, Sandra J. Linden, in the crash at about 8 a.m. on U.S. Route 20.

His wife, a popular server at the Quick & Delicious restaurant in Oberlin, was on her way to work at the time of the crash.

Linden said he spoke with Lorain County Coroner Paul Matus about his wife’s medical history, but he couldn’t offer much in the way of explanation about what may have occurred.

“Probably the only way I’ll know is if she tells me in heaven,” Linden said.

Alcohol was not involved, according to Sgt. Ronald Cross of the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Linden said his wife, who was 55, worked at Quick & Delicious about six years and enjoyed all the people there.

“Everybody loved her,” Linden said.

The couple grew up here — Sandra near Wellington-Penfield Township and he in Eaton Township — and lived for years near Wakeman before moving to the Norwalk area.

He said his wife didn’t mind the long drive to work except in the winter.

When the weather was bad, he said his wife would take the opportunity to stay overnight in Oberlin with her mother, Lois Shepherd, who also survives her.

Three other people suffered minor injuries in the crash, which totaled Linden’s van and the semi truck, which burst into flames.